Climate Solutions Caucus Laser Talk

Question:  What is the Climate Solutions Caucus?

Answer:  Lawmakers sometimes form ‘caucuses’ to work across party lines on specific issues. In February of 2016, two Florida Congressmen formed the House Climate Solutions Caucus, [1] and in October of 2019, Senators from Delaware and Indiana launched the Senate Climate Solutions Caucus. [2] Both are comprised of Democrats and Republicans working together to study, develop, and introduce legislative solutions to the challenge of climate change. [3]

The House Climate Solutions Caucus has endured through two election cycles in 2016 and 2018,  reaching a high of 90 members drawn equally from each party. In the 2018 mid-term election, 27 members either retired or lost their seats, but the Caucus was rebuilt in June 2019 under the leadership of founding member Ted Deutch, [4] a Florida Democrat, and a new co-chair, Florida Republican Francis Rooney. [5] The Caucus currently has 62 members drawn from both parties. Although Caucus members are not required to support a carbon fee and dividend plan, 20 Caucus members are currently among the 80 sponsors of H.R.763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2019. [6]

The Senate Climate Solutions Caucus was the outcome of hard work by Delaware Democrat Chris Coons [7], an original sponsor of the Senate version of the Energy Innovation Act in 2018. Senator Coons teamed up with Republican Senator Mike Braun of Indiana [8] to form a bipartisan Caucus, which now has 14 members including seven Republicans, six Democrats, and one Independent. [9]

We honor the commitment of these legislators to the mission of depoliticizing our changing climate, and applaud their efforts to serve as a catalyst for sensible, effective, and fair bipartisan climate legislation.

Related: Bipartisanship.

This page was updated on 02/22/20 at 20:08 CST.